Disclaimer: Characters are owned by others, the
story is mine. I have been blessed with the help of some the most talented women
in the Xenaverse. I am indebted to them all. Unfortunately, I was still the
one to write it. But their spirited assistance just proves what a special place
this is. I am very grateful to Eve Ng, Maribel Piloto, Barbara Davies, Advocate,
Lariel, IseQween, Georgia, Verrath, Mary Morgan, Lawlsfan, and my partner in
crime , Archaeobard. Quite a list, because I am very fortunate.

Gabrielle lay on the ground; still blinded by the dirt,
her eyes tearing furiously, but still not as furious as the woman above her.

"Dammit, Gabrielle. You werent watching. When I
threw that earth, I had to take my eyes off yours. Its was the perfect
opportunity for you get through my defense. Instead, If I was Velasca, youd
be dead right now!"

Xena went to the water skins and returned still glowering,
yet she knelt down and ever so gently tilted the princess head back to
flush out the grit.

The warrior wasnt about to stop venting her frustration.
"Sorry wont help. Just Improve. How many times...? The Challenge is tomorrow,
and you may be technically good, but you still have no...no fire! This is your
life on the line, and the one who cares the most tomorrow is going to win."

"Ill try harder..." she pleaded softly.

Xena shook her head and sighed. Gabrielle began to rise,
but the warrior stopped her, saying, "Lets take a break." and with a groan
of relief Gabrielle collapsed against Xena, ending up resting her head against
her shoulder.

Strangely enough, it was several heartbeats before either
of them realized what she had done. Astonished blue eyes met terrified green
ones. So frightened was Gabrielle, that she was unable to move, and it was only
when she felt the warrior relax did she begin to breath again.

More bewildered than angry, Xena muttered "Its
okay, Gabrielle."

"Youre sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"I said it was okay, so relax." After all,
rationalized Xena. Look at the pressure shes under. Shes
a kid, trying to rule an Amazon village while half the tribe is watching and
waiting for her to make a mistake. Coming here everyday to have me shout at
her, and push her to her limits, and if this little thing makes her happy, I
can bear it. Anyways, it wasnt an unpleasant feeling....

Meanwhile a somewhat round-eyed Gabrielle wastrying
to adjust to how cozy this particular shoulder was, while attempting to fit
this latest facet into the portrait she was forming of this complex woman. Half
the time Im frightened shes going to take off my head, and the rest
of the time its as though weve been friends all our lives. Im
never going to stop learning about her, am I?

Still trying to ignore how comfortable she was, Xena
took a long drink from a skin, and then passed it to the semi-prone girl. "I
know youre trying. That isnt the question. You couldnt try
any harder. You are one of the best staff fighters Ive ever seen, but
youre gonna have to find that killing stroke inside of yourself, or Velasca
is gonna take your head off. Its you or her, got that?"

Instead of the water skin, Gabrielle seized on the only
thing that mattered to her. "You think Im really good?"

The warrior rolled her eyes. "Yes. Youre very good.
Did you hear the rest of what I said?"

The princess tilted her head and asked earnestly, "Maybe
I need more incentive. I need you to be there."

"Gabrielle..." There was an edge to the voice that had
not been there a minute before.

"Xena, Im just no good at doing things for my own
sake. Oh dont roll your eyes at me." She stopped, surprised at her own
temerity. "Im sorry, I dont have the right..."

"Gabrielle, you are fighting to become the Queen of the
Amazons. Stop apologizing to me." A smile played around the corner of her mouth,
"And I dont believe this shy act all of a sudden. Im only here because
of your pure cussedness.."

Gabrielle returned the growing smile. "I can be selfish
and pushy, I know that. But if I didnt know there was reason for all this,
Id never have done anything. I believe..."

Xena recognized a story coming and rolling her eyes again,
fell dramatically back onto the grass beside the girl, who giggled and shook
her fist in mock anger. Xena grinned and waited for her to continue. Gabrielle
rolled on her side with her chin resting on her hand, propped up on her elbow.
It still took a moment before she became serious and resumed.

"I left my home village because I knew that I didnt
fit in there. I knew I was destined for something else. It felt like I was spending
my whole childhood waiting, until I couldnt wait anymore. So I ran away
and found the Amazons. When I received the rite of caste, I thought this
is it. This is why I left. But it wasnt. I was still...waiting.
But Ive used this time to try to learn, to work to be whatever I was supposed
to be."

Xena tried to ignore the affect, but that gaze was hard
to shake off. "How would I know? You know what Ive done."

"Nothing that really matters. Nothing like what you could
do. I think youve been waiting too."

The warrior laughed. "For you?"

Offended, Gabrielle retorted "Yes! Were together
for a reason. There are things that I know were supposed to do together.
Important things. Things that will change the world. Maybe I dont know
what they are. Yet. But Ive always known that I was different, that there
was someone who would...complete me, ever since I was a child, Xena. I need
you to believe that."

The warrior was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity with
which the girl spoke. "Gabrielle, I want to believe. to just believe in something,
but Im not sure that I can anymore."

"I dont believe that." They both smiled
at her quip. Then the young Princess became cautious. "Will you, can you trust
me?"

Xena sighed, and looked away. Finally she returned her
gaze to the resolute girl beside her. "Yes."

Sounding like a mother speaking to reluctant child, Gabrielle
affirmed "Then you have to give yourself up."

Xena startled her by leaping up, with clenched fists.
"Why does it always come down to that? Have you ever seen an animal trapped
in a corner? Or tried to force one into a cage? Thats what I am. Not this
noble creature that youre imagined, Gabrielle." she spat out.

Somehow managing not to be frightened by this metamorphosis,
the girl reached up to hold one hand, opening it until she was holding the callused
palm with her fingers. "Youre not an animal." Gabrielle stated with conviction.
"Even at your worst you were never that. You took your skills and your body
and you shaped it and drove it, and created the warrior you became. If you were
just a collection of killing skills you would never have commanded an army,
you would have always been someones hired thug."

"It was all for a reason, Xena so that you would be here,
at this moment. I know that. What can I say or do thatll make you believe
it? Xena, for once in your life, you have to surrender, and trust. You have
to trust in this Destiny. Please, Xena. Thats your Challenge. Can you
meet it?"

Xena seemed to be listening, but not to the princess.
She had become completely still and her hand went automatically to her chakram.

"Gabrielle..."

The Princess stood as well, and her eyes began to search
the horizon. "Theyre coming?"

There was no acknowledgment.

Gabrielle grasped the warriors arm. "The swords,
Xena, we have to begin the drill."

Xena was still frozen, staring at the trees. Now that
the moment was here, her mind was racing in near panic. At least ten
of them, but theyre not covering the breach by the rocks, I could still...

"Xena? Xena, please?" Gabrielle entreated.

Xena turned to face her. Her face showed none of the
inner turmoil, but she looked down to the firm hand that was still holding hers.
"This is what it comes down to?" she asked.

Gabrielle held her breath before speaking. "Yes."

There was only one thing left, the last secret, the last
part of herself to entrust with this girl. "Gabrielle. I have a son..."

Gabrielle dropped her eyes. "I know, Xena. Solon."

The warriors eyes widened and she stared, shocked,
at the young girl. "How?"

She haltingly offered her explanation. "I go to the Centaur
village often. I always wondered...He has your eyes. Theyre unmistakable,
and I asked some questions...".

Pressed for time, Xena swallowed that revelation, and
continued. "If theres a war, hes so young...Velasca doesnt
take slaves or prisoners..."

Gabrielle knew that she had won. This arrangements had
already been made. "Xena, I promise. I will make sure that he lives, even if
Im defeated tomorrow, Ill make sure that someone has him taken from
the battle zone, I swear it."

Ignoring the alarms that were going off inside of her,
Xena unsheathed her sword. She gave a quick shake to settle her armor and then
the two faced one another and began their choreographed dance. Each movement
had been planned, built upon Gabrielles surprisingly natural talent with
the sword. The sounds of the approaching Amazons were soon blocked out as they
concentrated on their roles.

Valesca drew her mount to a halt a few lengths away and
watched in astonishment as the despised little girl seemed to be fighting the
great warrior on equal terms. When she had gotten word of this supposed confrontation
she had hoped to use it to prove Gabrielles treason, and instead it appeared
that the weakling was actually attempting to capture the warrior on her own.
And whether it was true or not, she only had to see the admiring expressions
on the faces of the warriors accompanying her that her swordmanship was having
an effect. Perhaps humiliating the princess with the sword would not be possible.
It looked like some bargaining might be necessary.

But Dammit, how could she be this good?

At the last moment, Xena relaxed her grip on the pommel,
and the sword was swiftly removed from her hand by Gabrielle on an upstroke.
There was shocked silence from the now gathered Amazons as Gabrielle put the
tip of her blade to the Warrior Princess throat. "Ephiny" she called back.
"Are the archers in position?"

Ephiny came out of the trees and called out. "Yes, your
Highness."

Still holding the swords point to her throat, Gabrielle
spoke for the crowd. "Then Xena, there is no escape. I charge you with crimes
against the Amazon Nation. To be tried and convicted by the Queen of our Nation.
Yield your weapons, NOW!"

The warrior was cautiously surrounded. Velasca noted
with curiosity the very real anguish that flitted across the face of the warrior
for a moment before her weapons were removed. She looked at no one, simply stared
straight ahead, and allowed herself to be escorted off with head high, surrounded
by a dozen very nervous Amazons.

Velasca rode over to the Princess, who stood quietly,
still holding the sword, as the warrior was led away . There with almost no
expression that the challenger could read. How much HAD she underestimated this
girl? Almost as an after thought she called to the guards. "Make sure she is
chained. Heavy chains. Find ones strong enough to hold a fully grown Cyclops,
and then double them." For once the guards looked to Gabrielle for confirmation.
The Princess nodded.

Velasca mused on that as well. She had grown used to
them automatically obeying her. She dismounted and spoke to Gabrielle. "That
was very impressive, but how real was it?"

Gabrielle raised her sword defensively. "As real as it
needed to be."

Velasca laughed at that. "I could almost like you, Gabrielle,
and actually, I dont want to kill you. Not that it wouldnt be enjoyable
for me. But you have your followers. Quite a few of them. The question is, how
long would they fight me after you were gone? I dont need that. The Nation
doesnt need that. So, lets talk about the facts for a moment. All
right?"

Gabrielle didnt lower her sword. "Im listening."

"I know that you were never planning to rule as Queen,
you were going to continue on with your little journeys. So I suggest that you
do that. Walk away. Now. Then your followers would fall in line. That way you
save the lives of your friends and stop a civil war. Youll save their
lives and your own, and the Amazons will be united. It wont help anyone
if youre stupid or selfish, Gabrielle."

"United in war, united in killing until theyre
all dead."

"Were warriors, little girl, you never seem to
grasp that. Ill fight and we will win. The Nation will be stronger, greater,
under my leadership."

"I dont think so."

"Then try this. I can have Ephiny made a member of council,
and with Eponin already there, you will leave a strong core supporting your
ideals. The war will still take place, but there will be a, shall we say, a
tempering influence. You cant ask for any more."

Gabrielle considered. Ephiny had powerful support. She
could influence the other members. The war and Velasca might be moderated. This
was a major concession. But...."What about Xena?"

Velasca just snorted. "What about her? I dont know
how you did it, but now shes ours. So Xena dies either way for her crime.
If I choked to death right now and you became Queen, no one would allow you
to free her. And Im not going to die, today or tomorrow. Youre a
smart girl, Gabrielle. You have other people to consider. Walk away. Go home
or start a new life. Because your time here is over."